The Maryland Judiciary has released an administrative order outlining the reopening of the judicial branch of the Maryland government in five phases. While the courts intend to use this as their plan to reopen, they recognize that dates may change depending on the pace of COVID recovery or subsequent outbreaks or emergency declarations from Governor Hogan.
Once open, courts will begin to processing tenant/landlord cases. Cases regarding an emergency breech of lease will receive priority, whereas failure to pay rent cases will come further down the line.
Below is the current timeline for the courts as it relates to reopening, including hearing landlord/tenant cases on housing and evictions:
- Phase 1: remote hearings in limited scope take place with no evictions.
- Phase 2: courts reopen on June 5 with limited functions for high priority cases, including evictions for emergency breech of lease involving threats or injury to people or property.
- Phase 3: is scheduled to begin on July 20. Evictions can begin to take place over existing judgements and warrants that were pending prior to the shutdown as well as for "tenant holding over" cases (for example if a lease has ended).
- Phase 4: is scheduled to begin on August 31. At this time the courts will start to hear cases for evictions on the grounds of failure to pay rent.
- Phase 5: is scheduled to begin on October 5 and courts will be fully operational for all cases, civil or criminal.
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